Parashat Wayyaḳhel (Ex. 35:1-38:20) פָּרָשַׁת וַיַּקְהֵל
INTRODUCTION:
Parashat Wayyaḳhel (Ex. 35:1-38:20) contains the following sidrot:
Seventy-Fourth Sidra՚ (continued from the previous parasha), the Shabbath, and the materials for the Mishkan are collected;
Seventy-Fifth Sidra՚, the artisans are selected, and the construction of the Mishkan;
Seventy-Sixth Sidra՚, the making of the Mishkan's vessels and their implements, the making of the vessels and their implements for the courtyard of the Mishkan, and the construction of the courtyard.
ANALYSIS:
Seventy-Fourth Sidra՚ (Ex. 35:1-35:29 continued from the previous parasha): The Shabbath, and the materials for the Mishkan are collected.
In Parashat Ki Tissa՚ Moses addressed the Children of Israel informing them that even though the making of the Mishkan is a great and holy task they must still not neglect the keeping of the Shabbath. Therefore, the holiness of the Shabbath is greater than the holy deed of constructing the Mishkan. This reiterated in the opening verses of Parashat Wayyaḳhel; the first parasha dealing with the physical construction of the Mishkan rather than it abstract planning. "And Moses assembled all the community of the Children of Israel and he said to them; these are the words, that YHWH has commanded to do them. Six days you shall do mela՚kha but on the seventh day there shall be to you holiness a Shabbath of ceasing to YHWH; whoever does on it mela՚kha shall be put to death. You shall not let a fire burn, in all your settlements; on the Shabbath day" (Ex. 35:1-3). Apart from reaffirming that mela՚kha is forbidden on the Shabbath, this paragraph (for these verses form their own paragraph in the Hebrew text) is also stating something new, "You shall not let a fire burn, in all your settlements; on the Shabbath day" (Ex. 35:3); but why is this extra commandment concerning the Shabbath introduced here? The Children of Israel are about to begin the construction of the Mishkan and all its vessels, a large proportion of which are to be made from the metals, copper (mixed with tin to make bronze or with zinc to make brass), silver, and gold. Before these metals can be cast and worked they first need to be melted in furnaces which are capable of producing very high temperatures - as metals have high melting points; silver 961.8 °C, gold 1,064 °C, and copper 1,085 °C. In order for these furnaces to reach and maintain such high temperatures they need to be kept continuously burning. If the furnaces are extinguished prior to the Shabbath the process of reigniting, building up the temperature to a sufficient degree, and maintaining it, would need to be started from the beginning (a process that might take a day or so) entailing extra expenditure in manpower and time. Therefore, because of the inconvenience that extinguishing the furnaces prior to the commencement of the Shabbath will cause the people might think that because the task to construct the Mishkan is a holy one there could be an exception to the rule making it permissible to let the fires burn on the Shabbath. The Torah is consequently annulling any possible misconception by emphatically stating, "You shall not let a fire burn, in all your settlements; on the Shabbath day" (Ex. 35:3). The phrase "in all your settlements", highlights the fact that the prohibition of fire on the Shabbath is to be observed in our homes no matter where we may live. Interestingly the same phrase is used in the prohibition of eating ḥelev and blood (see Lev. 3:17 & 7:26).
In Parashat Terumah YHWH instructed Moses to tell the Children of Israel that if any of them desired to make a donation for the construction of the Mishkan they should make it from the following items: Metals of gold, silver, and bronze; yarn of blue, purple, and scarlet byssus (fine linen); goats' hair; rams' skins dyed red; fine leather skins; acacia wood; oil for lighting; spices for anointing oil and for fragrant incense; as well as semi-precious stones. Now in Wayyaḳhel the plan is put into action. Moses speaks to the entire community of the Children of Israel telling them that anyone who wants to freely donate towards the construction of the Mishkan may do so. He also requests for volunteers from all those who have the necessary skills for the making of the Mishkan and all it vessels, implements, and accessories. The members of the community of the Children of Israel, men and women, "whose mind uplifted him; and all whose spirit made him willing" (Ex. 35:21) brought their donations to YHWH. Those women who were skilled in spinning, spun the cloth and the goat's hair, while the princes of the people brought the precious and semi-precious stones, as well as the spices and the oil.
Seventy-Fifth Sidra՚ (Ex. 35:30-36:38): The artisans are selected, and the construction of the Mishkan.
Moses informs the Children of Israel that YHWH has nominated Beṣal՚el son of ՚Uri son of Ḥur of the tribe of Judah as the architect and master craftsmen, while his subordinate is to be ՚Aholi՚av son of ՚Aḥisamakh of the tribe of Dan. Beṣal՚el and ՚Aholi՚av are to be assisted by all those of the Children of Israel who posses the necessary skills. Moses assembles the artisans and craftsmen, and they take from Moses all the donations of the Children of Israel; but still the people kept bringing more and more. The artisans and craftsmen tell Moses that the people have donated much more than is actually needed for the work at hand. Moses makes a proclamation throughout the camp that no more donations should be made for the construction of the Mishkan for there is already too much.
The first things that artisans make are the ten curtains along with their loops as well as the clasps of gold to join the curtains together. Then they made the curtains of goats' hair including their loops and clasps of bronze. Next, a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of fine leather skins. Afterwards the acacia wood boards overlaid with gold for the frame of the Mishkan were made along with their pegs, silver sockets, the acacia wood bars overlaid with gold for connecting the boards together, as well as the rings of gold to hold the bars in place. Once this was done they made the veil [פָּרֹכֶת] - that was to act as a separation between the Holy Shrine and the Holy of Holies - along with its columns of acacia wood overlaid with gold, their hooks of gold and sockets of silver. Then the screen at the entrance of the tent was made with its columns of acacia wood overlaid with gold, as well as its gold hooks and bronze cast bases.
Seventy-Sixth Sidra՚ (Ex. 37:1-38:20): The making of the Mishkan's vessels and their implements, the making of the vessels and their implements for the courtyard of the Mishkan, and the construction of the courtyard.
The Ark of the Testimony is made by Beṣal՚el from acacia wood overlaid with gold inside and outside, as well as the band of gold, the rings of gold and poles of acacia wood and overlaid with gold for carrying the ark/chest. He makes a purgation cover of pure gold with its two Keruvim. Beṣal՚el then makes the table of acacia wood overlaid with gold and its band of gold, along with its rings of gold and poles of acacia wood overlaid with gold, to carry the table. He also makes the implements that are on the table; the dishes, ladles, jars, and bowls, of pure gold. Beṣal՚el then makes the menorah from one hammered work of pure gold according to the design that YHWH had dictated to Moses, in addition to its tongs and fire-pans of gold. He also makes the incense altar from acacia wood overlaid with gold, its band of gold, the rings of gold and the acacia wood poles overlaid with gold for carrying it. Beṣal՚el also blends the anointing oil and makes the incense for the incense altar.
Once the Mishkan and the vessels for inside the Mishkan have been made, attention is then turned to the courtyard. The first thing to be made for the courtyard of the Mishkan by Beṣal՚el is the altar of the ascent-offering made from acacia wood overlaid with bronze plus its implements; pots for its ashes, shovels, bowls, forks, and fire pans, all from bronze. He also made the grating from a netting of bronze, in addition to the carrying poles of acacia wood overlaid with bronze along with the four rings of bronze. Then he made the basin of bronze and its base of bronze, with the mirrors of the serving women that served at the entrance of the Tent of Appointed Times (אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד) i.e. the Mishkan.
As Parashat Terumah concludes with the instructions for the making of the courtyard, so Parashat Wayyaḳhel concludes with the actual making of the courtyard. Beṣal՚el makes the courtyard's, hangings, their columns, their sockets of bronze, the hooks of and binders of the columns from silver, as well as the gate of the courtyard with its columns and its screen.
TEACHINGS OF HAKHAM REKHAVI:
The making of the Mishkan is a national endeavour the yarn and stones, the metals and wood, the oil and spices, all the materials needed for its construction came from the community. The Mishkan is to be the place where offerings are to be brought, and where the Glory of YHWH will reside; the Mishkan is to be a holy place. Seeing that the Mishkan was holy the motives for donating materials for its construction had also to be pure and holy, hence the donations are only to be brought by "everyone whose heart inclines him" (Ex. 35:5). In other words the materials for the construction of the Mishkan had to be donated willingly out of love for YHWH. Therefore, just as the materials for the Mishkan were to be donated for the right reason, so our motives for serving YHWH need to be out of love for Him rather than for ulterior motives; for if the right act is carried out for the wrong reason then the act itself becomes tarnished.
Parashat Wayyaḳhel (Ex. 35:1-38:20) contains the following sidrot:
Seventy-Fourth Sidra՚ (continued from the previous parasha), the Shabbath, and the materials for the Mishkan are collected;
Seventy-Fifth Sidra՚, the artisans are selected, and the construction of the Mishkan;
Seventy-Sixth Sidra՚, the making of the Mishkan's vessels and their implements, the making of the vessels and their implements for the courtyard of the Mishkan, and the construction of the courtyard.
ANALYSIS:
Seventy-Fourth Sidra՚ (Ex. 35:1-35:29 continued from the previous parasha): The Shabbath, and the materials for the Mishkan are collected.
In Parashat Ki Tissa՚ Moses addressed the Children of Israel informing them that even though the making of the Mishkan is a great and holy task they must still not neglect the keeping of the Shabbath. Therefore, the holiness of the Shabbath is greater than the holy deed of constructing the Mishkan. This reiterated in the opening verses of Parashat Wayyaḳhel; the first parasha dealing with the physical construction of the Mishkan rather than it abstract planning. "And Moses assembled all the community of the Children of Israel and he said to them; these are the words, that YHWH has commanded to do them. Six days you shall do mela՚kha but on the seventh day there shall be to you holiness a Shabbath of ceasing to YHWH; whoever does on it mela՚kha shall be put to death. You shall not let a fire burn, in all your settlements; on the Shabbath day" (Ex. 35:1-3). Apart from reaffirming that mela՚kha is forbidden on the Shabbath, this paragraph (for these verses form their own paragraph in the Hebrew text) is also stating something new, "You shall not let a fire burn, in all your settlements; on the Shabbath day" (Ex. 35:3); but why is this extra commandment concerning the Shabbath introduced here? The Children of Israel are about to begin the construction of the Mishkan and all its vessels, a large proportion of which are to be made from the metals, copper (mixed with tin to make bronze or with zinc to make brass), silver, and gold. Before these metals can be cast and worked they first need to be melted in furnaces which are capable of producing very high temperatures - as metals have high melting points; silver 961.8 °C, gold 1,064 °C, and copper 1,085 °C. In order for these furnaces to reach and maintain such high temperatures they need to be kept continuously burning. If the furnaces are extinguished prior to the Shabbath the process of reigniting, building up the temperature to a sufficient degree, and maintaining it, would need to be started from the beginning (a process that might take a day or so) entailing extra expenditure in manpower and time. Therefore, because of the inconvenience that extinguishing the furnaces prior to the commencement of the Shabbath will cause the people might think that because the task to construct the Mishkan is a holy one there could be an exception to the rule making it permissible to let the fires burn on the Shabbath. The Torah is consequently annulling any possible misconception by emphatically stating, "You shall not let a fire burn, in all your settlements; on the Shabbath day" (Ex. 35:3). The phrase "in all your settlements", highlights the fact that the prohibition of fire on the Shabbath is to be observed in our homes no matter where we may live. Interestingly the same phrase is used in the prohibition of eating ḥelev and blood (see Lev. 3:17 & 7:26).
In Parashat Terumah YHWH instructed Moses to tell the Children of Israel that if any of them desired to make a donation for the construction of the Mishkan they should make it from the following items: Metals of gold, silver, and bronze; yarn of blue, purple, and scarlet byssus (fine linen); goats' hair; rams' skins dyed red; fine leather skins; acacia wood; oil for lighting; spices for anointing oil and for fragrant incense; as well as semi-precious stones. Now in Wayyaḳhel the plan is put into action. Moses speaks to the entire community of the Children of Israel telling them that anyone who wants to freely donate towards the construction of the Mishkan may do so. He also requests for volunteers from all those who have the necessary skills for the making of the Mishkan and all it vessels, implements, and accessories. The members of the community of the Children of Israel, men and women, "whose mind uplifted him; and all whose spirit made him willing" (Ex. 35:21) brought their donations to YHWH. Those women who were skilled in spinning, spun the cloth and the goat's hair, while the princes of the people brought the precious and semi-precious stones, as well as the spices and the oil.
Seventy-Fifth Sidra՚ (Ex. 35:30-36:38): The artisans are selected, and the construction of the Mishkan.
Moses informs the Children of Israel that YHWH has nominated Beṣal՚el son of ՚Uri son of Ḥur of the tribe of Judah as the architect and master craftsmen, while his subordinate is to be ՚Aholi՚av son of ՚Aḥisamakh of the tribe of Dan. Beṣal՚el and ՚Aholi՚av are to be assisted by all those of the Children of Israel who posses the necessary skills. Moses assembles the artisans and craftsmen, and they take from Moses all the donations of the Children of Israel; but still the people kept bringing more and more. The artisans and craftsmen tell Moses that the people have donated much more than is actually needed for the work at hand. Moses makes a proclamation throughout the camp that no more donations should be made for the construction of the Mishkan for there is already too much.
The first things that artisans make are the ten curtains along with their loops as well as the clasps of gold to join the curtains together. Then they made the curtains of goats' hair including their loops and clasps of bronze. Next, a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of fine leather skins. Afterwards the acacia wood boards overlaid with gold for the frame of the Mishkan were made along with their pegs, silver sockets, the acacia wood bars overlaid with gold for connecting the boards together, as well as the rings of gold to hold the bars in place. Once this was done they made the veil [פָּרֹכֶת] - that was to act as a separation between the Holy Shrine and the Holy of Holies - along with its columns of acacia wood overlaid with gold, their hooks of gold and sockets of silver. Then the screen at the entrance of the tent was made with its columns of acacia wood overlaid with gold, as well as its gold hooks and bronze cast bases.
Seventy-Sixth Sidra՚ (Ex. 37:1-38:20): The making of the Mishkan's vessels and their implements, the making of the vessels and their implements for the courtyard of the Mishkan, and the construction of the courtyard.
The Ark of the Testimony is made by Beṣal՚el from acacia wood overlaid with gold inside and outside, as well as the band of gold, the rings of gold and poles of acacia wood and overlaid with gold for carrying the ark/chest. He makes a purgation cover of pure gold with its two Keruvim. Beṣal՚el then makes the table of acacia wood overlaid with gold and its band of gold, along with its rings of gold and poles of acacia wood overlaid with gold, to carry the table. He also makes the implements that are on the table; the dishes, ladles, jars, and bowls, of pure gold. Beṣal՚el then makes the menorah from one hammered work of pure gold according to the design that YHWH had dictated to Moses, in addition to its tongs and fire-pans of gold. He also makes the incense altar from acacia wood overlaid with gold, its band of gold, the rings of gold and the acacia wood poles overlaid with gold for carrying it. Beṣal՚el also blends the anointing oil and makes the incense for the incense altar.
Once the Mishkan and the vessels for inside the Mishkan have been made, attention is then turned to the courtyard. The first thing to be made for the courtyard of the Mishkan by Beṣal՚el is the altar of the ascent-offering made from acacia wood overlaid with bronze plus its implements; pots for its ashes, shovels, bowls, forks, and fire pans, all from bronze. He also made the grating from a netting of bronze, in addition to the carrying poles of acacia wood overlaid with bronze along with the four rings of bronze. Then he made the basin of bronze and its base of bronze, with the mirrors of the serving women that served at the entrance of the Tent of Appointed Times (אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד) i.e. the Mishkan.
As Parashat Terumah concludes with the instructions for the making of the courtyard, so Parashat Wayyaḳhel concludes with the actual making of the courtyard. Beṣal՚el makes the courtyard's, hangings, their columns, their sockets of bronze, the hooks of and binders of the columns from silver, as well as the gate of the courtyard with its columns and its screen.
TEACHINGS OF HAKHAM REKHAVI:
The making of the Mishkan is a national endeavour the yarn and stones, the metals and wood, the oil and spices, all the materials needed for its construction came from the community. The Mishkan is to be the place where offerings are to be brought, and where the Glory of YHWH will reside; the Mishkan is to be a holy place. Seeing that the Mishkan was holy the motives for donating materials for its construction had also to be pure and holy, hence the donations are only to be brought by "everyone whose heart inclines him" (Ex. 35:5). In other words the materials for the construction of the Mishkan had to be donated willingly out of love for YHWH. Therefore, just as the materials for the Mishkan were to be donated for the right reason, so our motives for serving YHWH need to be out of love for Him rather than for ulterior motives; for if the right act is carried out for the wrong reason then the act itself becomes tarnished.
